


All That Heaven Will Allow

by roseandheather



Category: Code Black (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-19
Updated: 2016-03-19
Packaged: 2018-05-27 16:24:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6291616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/roseandheather/pseuds/roseandheather
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Leanne is confused, Ed has a question, and the hospital is actually quiet for once.</p><p>It doesn't last.</p>
            </blockquote>





	All That Heaven Will Allow

"So. How long until everything goes to hell, do you think?"

Leanne just laughs at him.

"I know, I know," he says, raising his hands defensively. "Just thought I'd check."

"Why?" she asks, genuinely curious now. "Were you hoping to spirit me away for some nefarious reason? Because if so, you've probably got ten minutes, max, and I am _so_ up for it."

"Ten minutes is all I need," he says, and that's when she notices his hands are shaking.

"Ed? What - "

"Come with me," he says abruptly, and tugs her toward Center Stage.

"Ed!" she says sharply, digging in her heels. "What _is_ it?"

"Leanne," he says, and there's an unaccustomed ragged note to his voice. "Please."

"Okay." Soothingly she reaches out to rub his shoulder. "Okay, hon. Carry on."

He studies the equipment racks on the walls of Center Stage for a minute, and she's just about to ask what in Heaven's name is going on before he turns around, hauls in a deep breath, and drops to one knee.

"Oh," she says, because all other vocabulary has completely gone from her head, and she can't do anything but look at him as he starts to speak.

"Leanne, I've known you for a long time now, and I think there's a part of me that's loved you almost as long. It took some... awful, horrible, _tragic_ things for it to blossom, but it did, and now I can't imagine a world where I don't love you. Where you're not what I want to wake up seeing, and fall asleep holding - where I can't _be_ with you, in any way you'll let me. I love you, Lea, and if it had to take grief and blood and tears, then that's what it had to take. I'll never count the cost." He takes a deep breath, then lets it out in a long, shaky exhale.

"I know that neither of us - neither of us are easy, Lea. We're married to our jobs first, and we're difficult, demanding people who ask for everything and give twice as much back. I can't promise that I'll never get angry with you, that you'll never make me swear or slam doors or kick walls. And I certainly can't promise that I won't make _you_ angry, or make you swear or slam doors or kick walls. In fact, I think I can guarantee that we both will. But I can promise to _fight_ for you, and _with_ you, because you are _worth it,_ Lea. And I'll never count the cost of that, either, because there is none. I never want you to be anything other than exactly what you are, and as long as you can promise me that, I'm yours."

Briefly, almost too briefly to be seen, his eyes flutter shut, the lashes dark and spiky with unshed tears. "Leanne Marie, will you marry me?"

She'd known it was coming. Of course she had. It had come up time and time again, in hypotheticals, in shy half-veiled suggestions, in a thousand 'what ifs' conjured up on lonely nights or nights huddled together under the blankets, twined so closely that it almost hurts to separate again.

And she's known, for all that time, that her answer would be 'yes'.

But that doesn't change the shock of it, the seismic jolt to heart and bone that steals the breath from her lungs and the thoughts from her mind. Doesn't lessen, for one single instant, the stunning impact of Edward James Harbert on one knee in the middle of Center Stage, all the people who matter to both of them gathered around in various states of mingled shock and delight.

And it sure as hell doesn't make it any easier for her to speak.

So she doesn't. Instead she drops to her knees, takes his face in her hands, presses her forehead to his, and just nods. Nods and nods, with tears streaming down her face, until his fingers are fumbling gentle touches at her cheeks and temple. And when she kisses the damp, salty skin of his cheek, his lips, his closed eyelids, she realizes that he is crying too.

Still trembling, she breaks away from Ed just enough to look at the people around them.

Christa Lorenson, crying open and unashamed, her smile brighter than the noonday sun.

Neal Hudson, her sword arm and steadfast friend, standing behind Christa with his arms around her waist, a soft, misty smile of approval on his face.

Angus Leighton and Malaya Pineda, holding hands, visibly holding in shouts of glee.

Mario Savetti, hands in his pockets, the ghost of a smile touching his mouth, but shining unmistakably in his eyes.

Mike Leighton, giving her an unmistakable, cocky wink, his smile heartfelt and genuine.

Amy and Isabel and Hannah and Risa, jaws agape, grins only just beginning to bloom.

And Jesse Sallander, her unfailing shelter, spirit's rock and unflagging anchor, joy too profound for words wreathing across his face.

 _Well done, Daddy,_ he seems to be saying.

"Leanne!" says Christa, half shout, half sob, still radiantly beaming. "You have to say something!"

Leanne feels her eyes lock on Christa's, and Christa simply nods. _Take it, Leanne. I got mine. Now it's your turn._

And then, finally, back to Ed.

Dear, steady, brilliant, patient, _wonderful_ Ed, the gift of grief and heartache, the blood-red rose blooming from the ashes.

"Yes," she squeaks, more whisper than words, but nobody needs anything else. Ed draws her to him and buries his face in her shoulder, fingers clutching at her lab coat, and simply whispers "Thank you" as pandemonium erupts around them.

'Thank you' doesn't even begin to cover it, for either of them. But it'll do for now.

**Author's Note:**

> I have no idea where all this fic is coming from and I am entirely okay with that.


End file.
